Container



M. W. KUCHENBECKER CONTAINER June 19, 1962 United States Patent 3,039,668 CONTAINER Morris W. Kuchenbecker, Neenah, Wis., assigner to American Can Company, New York, NX., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 54,621 8 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) The present invention relates to a carton or container particularly adapted to the packaging and dispensing therefrom of owable products, such as liquids, granulated substances and the like, and has particular reference to a top end closure which includes a conveniently available dispensing spout.

The carton is readily formed from paperboard and may be made from a unitary blank of such material treated to provide liquid leak-proofness so that the carton may be used for milk.

An object of the invention is to provide a top end closure for such a carton or container which includes a conveniently available dispensing spout in the front of the closure and formed in the closure in such a manner as to shield and protect the dispensing surfaces of the spout against contamination. l

Another object is the provision of such a top end closure and an included dispensing spout which may be readily opened by a tearing of panel portions of the closure and a forcing of the dispensing spout into dispensing position.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a sealed container embodying the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a unitary blank from which the container in FIG. l is formed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the upper end of the container showing the container partially open; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the container fully open.

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, the drawings illustrate a substantially rectangular container preferably coated interiorly and exteriorly with a film of polyethylene, and comprising a preferably is provided with a peak or gable shaped top end closure although the invention is equally well adapted to a fiat top end closure if desired.

The blank 18 (FIG. 2) is suitably cut and creased to divide it into a number of walls, panel portions and tab portions. Four main wall panels 21, 22, 23, 24 are respectively separated from each other and hingedly connected together along crease lines 25, 26, 27. A glue flap 28 is hingedly connected along one side edge of wall 24 by a crease line 29.

Bottom closure flaps 31, 32, 33, 34 are respectively connected to walls 21, 22, 23, 24 along crease lines 35, 36, 37, 38. The bottom closure flaps are separated by cut lines or narrow cut out portions 41, 42, 43.

Top front and rear or first panel portions 45, 46, are hingedly connected to walls 23, 21 respectively along crease lines 47, 48. In a similar manner top end or second panel portions 51, 52, are hingedly connected to walls 2'2, 24, respectively along crease lines 53, 54. These first and second panel portions 45, 46, 51, 52, are hingedly connected to each other along their lateral edges by Ice crease lines 56, 57, 58. The second panel portion 52 is also connected to the glue flap 28 along a crease line 59.

All of the first and second panel portions 45, 46, 51, 52, are provided with end seam tabs extending from their upper edges. In the front rst panel portion 45 an end seam tab 61 is provided. This tab 61 extends entirely .across the panel portion Vand is hingeable along a perforated, scored or otherwise first line of weakness 62 which connects the tab 61 to the panel portion 45. The front first panel portion 45 also includes a pair of spout crease lines 64 which converge from the crease line 47 toward and preferably terminate at the first line of weakness 62, with the converging ends of the crease lines 64 spaced apart to set off a trapezoidal shaped sub-panel 65 in the first panel portion 45. The first line of weakness 62 in the space between the ends of the converging crease lines 64 preferably includes a slit or entirely cut-through portion 66.

The front first panel portion 45 also includes a medial crease line 67 which extends into the wall panel 23 for a major portion of its length and connects with a pair of diverging crease lines 68. The rear first panel portion 46 is provided with an end seam tab 71 which is hingedly connected to the panel portion along a crease line 72 which extends entirely across the panel portion and is in longitudinal alignment with the first line of weakness 62 so as to be coextensive therewith. The tab 71 is substantially twice the width of the tab 61 and along its upper edge is provided with a flap portion 73 comprising a pair of fixed flap sections 74 and an intermediate free flap section 7S. The fixed tab sections 74 are hingedly connected to the tab 71 along a pair of aligned second lines of weakness 76 which extend out into the lateral edges of the Hap portion 73. The free flap section is hinged-ly connected to the tab 71 along a crease line 77 which connects with the inner ends of the second lines of Weakness 76 and is coextensive with these lines of weakness. The free flap section 75 preferably is set off from the fixed flap sections 74 by notches 78 and short score lines or perforations 79.

The top end or second panel portions 51, 52 each include a pair of crease lines 81 which converge lfrom the lower corners of the panel portion toward and Iterminating at the upper edge of the panel portion, the converging ends of the crease lines being spaced apart and thereby setting-off in the panel portion a trapezoidal shaped sub-panel 82 and 4a Dair of triangular shaped third panel portions 83, 84. These third panel Iportions 83, 84 hingedly connect the trapezoidal shaped sub-panels 82 of the second panel portions 51, 52, to the first panel portions 45, 46, along the lateral edges of the first and second panel portions as defined by' their crease lines 56, 57, 58, 59.

Each of the second panel portions 51, 52 along their top edge is provided with a wide end seam tab 86 which is hingedly connected to the triangular third panel portions 83 along an extension of the first line of weakness 62 which extends entirely across the third panel portions 83. In a similar manner each of the second panel por tions 51, 52 along their top edge is provided with end seam tabs '88, 89, which are hingedly connected respectively to the trapezoidal sub-panels 82 and the third panel portions 84 along coextensive crease lines 91, 92 which -are coextensive with the creaselline 72 and the first line of weakness 62.

Such a blank is readily formed into a carton or container by folding it along the wall crease lines 25, 26, 27,

29, and securing the glue flap 28 to the inner face of the free lateral edge portion of the wall 21 to produce a rectangular, tubular body for the container. The bot- ,tOm flaps 31, 32, 33,34, are then folded inwardly in overlapping relation and secured together in the usual manner to produce -a bottom for the container. In this condition the container is filled with its product and the top closure is then folded into place to seal the filled container.

The top closure 17 as shown in FIG. l is formed by first bending the end seam tabs 88 outwardly. The second panel portions 51, 52 are then bent inwardly into an inclined position as shown in FIG. l to produce the inclined second panel portions. This inward bending of the second panel portions 51, 52 bends the triangular shaped third panel portions 83, 84, along their defining crease lines 8l, 56, 57, 58, 5'9, and simultaneously draws the first panel portions 45, 46 inwardly over the top of the second panel portions V51, 52 and results in the first panel portions assuming an inclined position with the third panel vportions folded under and against the fir-st panel portions adjacent their lateral edges as shown in FIG. l.

Simultaneously with this `folding of the first, second and third panel portions into closure forming position, the end seam tabs 61, 7l, 86, 89 are folded into overlapping relation on top of the outwardly bent tabs 88 and permanently secured in place by a suitable adhesive or other securing means to produce a horizontally positioned, flat top end seam 94 as best shown in FIG. l, which unites all of the panel portions and seals the container.

With the end seam tabs secured together to produce -the end Vseam 94, the flap portion 73 extends down again-st the outer face of the front first panel portion 45 as shown in FIG. l with the fixed fiap sections 74 secured to the lfront first panel portion 45 by a suitable adhesive or other means and with the free flap section 75 in position against the front rst panel portion but unsecured in relation thereto. In this position of the flap portion 73, the second lines of weakness 76 are directly over the top of and are coincident with the first line of weakness 62 in the -front first panel portion 45 and the third panel portions 83 and the free fiap section 75. covers and seals the slit 66 in the first line ofrweakness. This completely seals the container.

The container thu-s completely sealed includes in the top closure a conveniently available dispensing spout which may be readily formed, upon opening the container, and lforcing the front first panel portion 45 outwardly. This is readily effectedby severing the respective first and second lines of weakness 62, 76, simultaneously `and lifting the yfree fiap section 75. This is best effected by first lifting the fiap section 75 to the position shown in FIG, 3 and then gripping the lateral edge portions of the front first panel portion 45 and forcing them outwardly into a position normal to the front first panel portion as shown in FIG. 3. This tears or severs the first `and thirdv panel portions 45, 83 along the first and second lines of Weakness 62, 76 from their respective tabs ,permanently embodied in the top end seam 94 `and thereby releases the first and third panel portions for spout formation.

To produce the `dispensing spout, the gripped lateral edge portions of the front first panel portion 45 preferably are b ent back toward and slightly beyond their original position in the container. This return bending of the first'panel portion forces the trapezoidal shaped subpanel 65 outwardly in a manner which draws out the adjacent attached parts of the first and third panel portions, and bends the sub-panel along its medial crease line 67 to produce a many sided pouring spout 96 as shown in FlG. 4, the spout pouring edge being clean and free from interfering tabs, thereby producing a substantially drip free pouring edge for the spout.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant `advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes maybe made in the form, construction, and ar- 4 rangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and sco-pe of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

l. A gable-top dispensing container, the container top including a pair of opposed inclined first panel portions having upper edges spaced apart a pre-selected distance, a pair of opposed inclined second panel portions having upper edges, pairs of third panel portions hingedly connesting the lateral edges of said first ypanel portions to the adjacent lateral edges of said second panel portions, tab portions extending `from the upper edges of said first, second and third panel portions -and secured together in a fiat top end seam uniting lall of said panel portions, said end seam being disposed generally in a plane intersecting the planes of all of said panel portions and spanning the said pre-selected distance between said first panel portions7 said flat top end seam being disposed entirely between said first panel portions, a first line of weakness in one of said first panel portions and extending completely across said one first panel portion and substantially into the third panel portions hingedly connected to each lateral edge of said one first panel portion, a flap portion connected to the end seam tab portion of the other of said first panel portions and folded over and against said first line of weakness in said one first panel portion, said fiap portion extending completely across said one first panel portion and being divided into a pair of fixed sections secured to said one first panel portion and a free section unsecured in relation to said one first panel portion, and a second line of weakness in each of said fixed flap sections, said second lines of weakness being disposed adjacent said first line of weakness in said one first panel portion, said first and second lines of Weakness providing means for ready severance of the parts of said one first panel portion and said third panel portions from said end seam tabs, whereby upon such severance andthe lifting of said free tab portion said one first panel portion and said third panel portions may be forced outwardly to forni a dispensing spout for said container.

` 2. A gable-top ydispensing container of the character defined in claim 1 lwherein said first line of weakness is disposed adjacent the top edge of said one first panel portion and the top edges of said third panel portions hingedly connected to each lateral edge of said one first panel portion.

l3. A gable-top dispensing container of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said first line of weakness is disposed alongthe line of connection between said end seam tabsr and said one first panel portion and along the line of connection between said end seam tabs and said third panel portions hingedly connected to each lateral edge of said one first panel portion.

A4. A gable-top dispensing container of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said one first panel portion is provided with a pair of crease lines converging toward said first line of weakness to facilitate formation of said dispensing spout.

5. A gable-top dispensing container of the character 4defined in claim 1 -wherein said one first panel portion is provided with a medial crease line disposed substantially normal to said first line of weakness to Ifacilitate formation of said dispensing spout.

6. A gable-top dispensing container of the character defined in claim 1 wherein said one first panel portion is provided with a trapez-oidal shaped sub-panel defined by crease lines converging toward and terminating at said `first'lineof weakness and wherein said first line of weakness includes a slit extending between the terminal ends of said crease lines and wherein said free flap section extends over said slit.

7. A Vgable-top dispensing container of the character defi-ned in claim 1 wherein said tab portions extending 3,039,668 5 6 from the upper edges of said `iirst, second and third panel said flap portion to facilitate lifting of said free section. portions are arranged in overlapped horizontally disposed relation and secured together in a horizontal, ilat, top end References Cited in the file of this patent seam .uniting all of said panel portions and Iwherein said UNITED STATES PATENTS first 11ne of weakness 1s disposed adJacent a 1ong1tud1nal 5 edge of said end seam. 2,360,439 Monroe Oct. 17, 1944 8. A gable-top dispensing container of the character 2,687,840 Innes Aug. 31, 1954 dened in claim 1 wherein there is provided third lines of 2,695,745 Dixson Nov. 30, 1950 weakness in said ap portion adjacent said -free section of 2,751,137 Alden June 19, 1956 

